Little Pig Joins the Band (Little Pig)

PreS-Gr 1—The adorable protagonist of Little Pig Joins the Band returns as his brothers and sisters head off to sailing camp for the summer. Little Pig is too small to join his siblings, so his brother leaves him a book of sailors' knots, and his grandfather carves him a miniature boat. Each day Little Pig and his grandfather sail the boat in a stream until one day it accidentally floats away. Little Pig uses his new knot-tying skills to rescue the vessel. Costello's ink and watercolor images mixed with comic book—style word bubbles and some paneled page layouts are thoughtful and add energy and movement. The story will be a familiar one to any young reader who feels too small to join in with older siblings or peers, and offers an empowering message of learning to overcome one's small stature. VERDICT Wholesome and cute, this fun new adventure with Little Pig is a satisfying addition to most collections. A great choice for storytime or small group sharing.—Kaitlin Malixi, Bucks County Free Library, Doylestown, PA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"Costello's winsome tale explores the travails of being the youngest and the littlest."
—Kirkus Reviews

"Costello isn't pioneering new ground with this story of how a family's littlest member asserts his competence, but the combination of lovely and understated text, sly watercolors, and a protagonist who knows in his heart that he's right make the premise feel fresh and funny."
—Publishers Weekly

"An uplifting tale with a gentle lesson about how even the smallest member of the band has something to contribute."
—Shelf Awareness

"Young readers will likely recognize Little Pig's predicament and give his take-charge solution a big hand."
—The Horn Book Magazine